I have long advocated for the protection and conservation of Toronto's shared freshwater resources. In 1987, an International Joint Commission classified the City of Toronto's waterfront as an "Area of Concern in the Great Lakes Basin," due in part to the Don River's poor water quality. For this reason, I moved a motion in 2012 directing City staff to accelerate the rehabilitation of the Don River.

In response to my motion, City staff presented a report on the Don River and Central Waterfront Project at the February meeting of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC). As the Committee Chair, I again requested an acceleration of the various Don River and Central Waterfront projects. These initiatives include the construction of the Coxwell Bypass Tunnel, an important step toward our long-term goal of significant water quality improvements in the City of Toronto.

The Don River and Central Waterfront Project was initiated in 2008 as part of the City's 25-year Wet Weather Flow Master Plan to mitigate the impacts of stormwater runoff and combined sewer outflow on our freshwater systems. I am committed to advancing initiatives to improve water quality conditions and ecosystem health in Toronto and am pleased to move forward on this important project.